Strapping-machine.



W. M. KIDNEY.

STRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1908.

913 ,397. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

llllllll c9100. W attain WILLIAM MINET KIDNEY, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

STRAPPING-I/IACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 23, 1909.

Application filed. March 25, 1908. Serial No. 423,222.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. KIDNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strapping viachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in strapping machines, and has for its object the provision of means for facilitating the stretching of a wire or strip of metal, around a package, box, or crate, and the tying or fastening of said member in a stretched condition.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a very simple and efficient machine, for strapping or tying boxes, crates, and receptacles, which comprises a minimum number of parts, and which machine is convgparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view of the structure depicted in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower or inner end of the machine. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4, 4, Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, peripective view of the lower end of the ratchet- Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the ratchet-bar, which is rovided, at its lower end, with an extended ip or lug 2, which is grooved or slotted, as at 3. The

oove or slot is adapted to receive a wire 4 fir facilitating the bending or fastening thereof after the same has been stretched upon a package or box 5. A )late or stop 6 is secured against one side of t 1e ratchet-bar near its lower or inner end by any suitable fastening means, as for instance, a rivet 7. The up er or outer end of the ratchct-bar is, preferably, slit or bifurcated, as at 8, producing two integral portions 9, 9, which are bent or extend outwardly, and have their ends terminating in substantially a horizontal plane, to which ends are secured a horizontal or flat plate 10, by means of rivets or any other suitable fastening means 11.

A primary casing 12 is slidably mounted upon the ratchet-bar between portions 9 and the stop-plate 6, and said primary casing comprises surrounding-portions 13 and 14, each connected to the other by parallel sideportions. The surrounding portions incase the ratchet-bar. The lower or inner surrounding-portion 14 is provided with an extension 15, having a pair of parallel lugs 16. Integral with the side portions of casin 12, are trunnions or short-shafts 17 u on 111011 is pivotally mounted a sectional lihndle 18. The handle 18 is formed, preferably, from two strips of flat metal that are closed together and secured at their outer ends by, preferably, a rivet 19, whereas they are spread apart at their 0 posite end and the trunnions 18 extend t rough apertures in said sections, so that the handle is pivotally mounted upon the primary casing. Positioned between the sections ofthe handle and upon opposite sides of the ratchet-bar, and in position for having their lower ends engage the ratchet-teeth of said bar 1, are pawls or dogs 20, which have enlarged body portions 21 that are pivotally mounted upon transverse fastening means, as for instance, rivets 22, carried by the handle.

It will be obvious that when the operator swings the handle upon the pivot 17, the pawls or dogs will engage the ratchet-teeth and will draw the primary casing upward or outward towards the bifurcated end of the ratchet-bar carrying the late 10. The pawls are formed with suitab e handles upon their outer or upper ends, so that by the operator grasping said handles, the lower or inner ends of the pawls can be disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet-bar and ermit the primary casing to move downwarc or inward towards the stop-plate 6. The auxiliary casing 23 surrounds the ratchet-bar and is slidably mounted thereon. The auxiliary casing is provided with a right-angled extension or projection 24, which terminates at its outer end in an angularly-disposed, inclined lug 25 that cooperates with a cam or jaw 26, which is pivotally mounted upon a rivet or suitable extension 27 carried by the angularly-disposed portion 24; the dog 26 is provided, upon its outer end, with a toothed or roughened surface, which is adapted to cooperate with the inner surface of the inclined lug 25 for grip ing a wire or strip of metal. The inner enc of the do or cam 26 is formed with an extension, which pro ects between the parallel lugs 16, so that when the primary casing is slid upon the ratchetbar, the auxiliary casing will also be adjusted; furthermore, after the wire a has been placed between the inclined lug 25 and the cam 26, and a pull is exerted upon the primary casing towards the plate 10, the dog will be automatically closed upon the wire and grip the same, and as the handle 18 is swung upon its pivot, the primary and auxiliary casings w1ll be drawn upward or outward on the ratchet-bar through the medium or the pawls '20, and, consequently, the toothed or roughened cam member will continue to grip the wire and prevent the same from slipping, and at the same time stretching the same upon the box or receptacle around which the wire or strips is wrapped. By pressing down upon the dprimary casing, after the pawls have been isen aged from the ratchet-teeth, the cam 26 will be automatically pivoted or swung upon its pivot 27 and moved to an open position, whereby the Wire or strip can be quickly detached or removed from between the clamping jaws, constituted by the extension 25 and the cam or jaw 26. By forcing the upper or outer ends of the pawls 2O inward towards the ratchet-bar, the primary and auxiliary casings can be pushed or moved downward towards the stop-plate 6, and then the wire insert-ed, and, as stated above, stretched, for securing the desired tension. The wire 4 is placed in the notch 3 of the lip 2. The wire can be easily twisted or bent over the loop 28, and subsequently wrapped around a portion of the wire for holding the same in its taut or stretched condition.

It will be obvious, from the foregoing d-escription, that I have produced a very simple device for stretching a wire and holding it in its stretched position by the action of the pawls in lifting the means carrying the clam ing jaw or cam, and, furthermore, after t e wire has been stretched, and the whole machine turned downward to a substantially horizontal position relative to the top of the box or crate, for bending the wire contiguous to the lower end of the ratchet bar, so there will be formed a hook engaging the loop 28, by moving the fprimary casing towards the stoplate 6, a 'ter the pawls have been disengage the grip-j aw or cam -member 26 will be swung upon its pivot for releasing the wire or-strip of metal, prior to the operator, or some special tool, wrappingor twisting the same around a portion of the wire surrounding the crate or box, which completes the strapping operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a ratchet-bar, of a primary casing carried by said ratchet-bar, said primary casing provided with a plurality of lugs, an auxiliary casing provided with an extension terminating in an inclined lip, a jaw pivotally mounted upon said extensions contiguous to said lip and having a portion positioned between the lugs of said primary casing, whereby when said primary casing is drawn in one direction upon said bar, said jaw will be closed towards said lug, and means provided with pawls carried by said primary casing adapted to draw the primary casing longitudinally of the bar.

2. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a ratchet-bar, of a primary and an auxiliary casing carried by said ratchet-bar, means for drawing said primary casing towards one 'end of said bar, said auxiliary casing provided with an inclined lug constituting a fixed jaw, a pivotally mounted jaw carried by said auxiliary casing and cooperating with said lug or fixed jaw, and means carried by said primary casing for swinging said pivotally-mounted jaw upon its pivot for opening or closing the same when said primary casing is moved longitudinally of said ratchet bar.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a ratchet-bar, of a casing slidably mounted upon said bar, said casing comprising a pair of end-portions and sideportions integrally connecting said endportions, said side portions of less width than said ratchet bar, a lever pivotally mounted upon said side portions, pawls pivotally mounted upon said lever and adapted to engage the ratchet-bar and positioned out side of said side portions, wire --grip.ping means slidably mounted upon. said ratchetbar and positioned contiguous to said casing, means carried by the casing and cooperating with said wire gripping means, whereby when said casing is drawn towards one end of said ratchet-bar the wire-gripping means will be actuated for gripping a wire or strand.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a ratchet-bar, of a pair of members slidably mounted upon said ratchet bar, one of said members provided with wire-gripping means, the other member provided with means cooperating with said wire-gripping means for either holding the same in an operative or inopera-tiye position, and means carried by one of said members and cooperating with said ratchet-bar for drawing both of said members longitudinally'oi said ratchet-bar.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a ratchet-bar, of a primary and an auxiliary casing bolt slidably mounted upon said ratchet-bar, said primary casing comprising end-portions surrounding the ratchet-bar and intermediate portions positioned upon op osite sides of said ratchetbar and integra ly connected at th'eir'ends to said endportions, said intermediate portions provided with trunnions or short shafts, a handle journaled upon said trunnions, pawls pivotally mounted upon said handle and adapted to normally engage the ratchets of said bar, one of said end-portions provided with an extension terminating in parallel lugs, the auxiliary easing provided with a right-angled extension terminating at its outer end in an angularly-disposed, inclined li constituting a fixed jaw, a jaw provide with a roughened end pivotally mounted upon the extension of said auxiliary jaw and cooperating with the fixed jaw, said pivotally-mounted jaw provided with a portion or extension positioned between the lugs, and said pivotally-mounted jaw adapted to be opened or closed when the primary casing is moved away or towards the auxiliary casing.

6. A strapping machine, comprising a ratchet-bar, a pair of slidable members carried by said ratchet-bar, one of said members provided with wire or strip-gripping means, the other member provided with means cooperating with said wire-gripping means, whereby when the members are moved towards each other, the wire-gripping means will be thrown out of operation, and when said members are moved apart, the wire-gripping means will be placed in an operative position for gripping the wire.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aIIix my a signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MINET KIDNEY.

Witnesses:

James B. Down, P. J. SHIELDs. 

